SS7 is characterized by high-speed circuit switching and out-of-band signaling using Service Switching (SSPs), Signal Transfer Points (STPs), and Service Control Points (SCPs) (collectively referred to as signaling points, or SS7 nodes). Out-of-band signaling is signaling that does not take place over the same path as the data transfer (or conversation)--a separate digital channel is created (called a signaling link), where messages are exchanged between network elements at 56 or 64 kilobit per second.

SS7 architecture is set up in a way so that any node could exchange signaling with any other SS7-capable node, not just signaling between switches that are directly connected.